Name
Reclaiming Native Culture, Imagery and History in Popular School Culture
Description
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, we have a profound opportunity — and responsibility — to reflect on the full story of this nation. To forge a better, more equitable, and more informed path forward together, we must commit to presenting as complete a picture of our shared history as possible. A significant and too often overlooked part of that story is the history, culture, and living presence of Native Americans — and the urgent need to reframe what most of us were taught in school. We need to reframe and shift the lens. Why are Thanksgiving, Pocahontas, or sports mascots the only times that non-Native students get to hear or learn about Native Americans? Native Americans and Native American culture are widely misrepresented and misappropriated in schools and school curriculum. As we mark this milestone anniversary as a nation, we cannot afford to carry those distortions forward into the next 250 years. Join us to discuss how educators can learn to present history from a Native perspective, see Native American culture as current and thriving rather than through a deficit or obsolete lens, and explore concrete ways of integrating authentic Native themes into the curriculum. Let us share our experiences, insights, resources, and opportunities to begin a constructive dialogue — one worthy of the future we are trying to build together.
Track
MIEA (Indian Education for All)
Date
Friday, October 16, 2026
Time
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location Name
219
Professional Development (Renewal) Units
1
Session Format
Session - In-Person